Six hour slow braised Lancashire ox cheek, horseradish potato, buttered kale, confit carrots, sticky beef and port sauce (serves four).Now’s the time to enjoy the last remnants of seasonal winter cooking and the joy that a slow braised dish can bring.

This recipe is perfect for dinner parties and gives you the opportunity to prepare the dish in advance and then, while it braises slowly in the oven, get the rest of the dishes ready. Both the main course and dessert are firm favourites with our guests in the Walled Garden restaurant, and the kitchen team take pride in preparing these popular dishes.

INGREDIENTS

4 ox cheeks – speak to your local butcher or your local supermarket may sell them

2 carrots

2 sticks of celery

2 medium onions

1 leek

2 bay leafs

2 sprigs thyme

2 sprigs rosemary

4 cloves garlic

2 pints rich beef stock

100ml ruby port

1kg Maris Piper potatoes (peeled &quartered)

50g freshly grated horseradish root

50g salted butter

Salt & pepper to taste

500g kale (washed and de-stalked)

25g butter

4 large carrots (peeled and halved)

1 sprig of thyme

1 clove garlic

50g butter

200ml orange juice

Salt & pepper

METHOD

Ox cheek

1. Trim the excess fat from the ox cheek and seal on both sides in a hot frying for one minute, and then place in deep casserole pot

2. Cut carrots, celery, onions and leeks into 2cm pieces then brown off in same pan as the ox cheek and then add to the casserole pot

3. Add the herbs, garlic, stock and port to the casserole pot, cover with tin foil or lid and slow cook at 140C for six hours

4. After six hours remove from pot from the oven and leave to cool slightly

5. Using a large spoon, strain the liquid from the casserole pot into a medium pan and bring to boil. Reduce by ¾ until the sauce is of a sticky consistency, then add the ox cheeks to the sauce and coat them well then cover with a lid to keep hot

Horseradish mash

1. Boil the potatoes until they are soft, then strain and dry out in the pan until fluffy. Mash well (there should be no lumps)